The idea of electric bikes is catching fire, but the price is still prohibitive for the lay person.

British start-up Skarper has unveiled an e-bike conversion kit, that weighs just 3kg, and can turn any bike into an electric one. It uses a disc brake rotor to provide power, and has a charge time of two-and-a-half hours, and a range of 60km.

The product is in the prototype stage now, with six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy heavily involved in the development and testing.

“I’ve always been an advocate of getting more people on bikes, regardless of their fitness, ability or age, and I’ve discovered that ebikes can play a huge role in making cycling more accessible to anyone.

“It opens up opportunities – whether it’s making a commute possible which would otherwise have been too difficult, keeping pace with a fitter friend for a challenging bike ride, returning to riding after an injury or illness, or just going further on your rides and seeing more for the same effort.”

The product will most likely be out in 2023.